Vatican Night Tour with Sistine Chapel
Enjoy a unique opportunity to visit the Vatican after hours without the crowds
Prefer to take a Vatican tour in the evening when there are hardly any crowds? You'll love this tour that lets you spend your day exploring Rome before coming to the Vatican Museums in the evening when all the crowds have gone. You'll enjoy VIP access to the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and enjoy a quieter evening exploring the incredible art with your local guide. The guided tour only lasts a couple of hours, but you can stay on your own until the museums close later if you like.
Tour Details
- The Vatican Museums at night
- Pio-Clementino
- Laocoön and His Sons
- Belvedere Torso
- Nero’s Bath
- Gallery of Candelabra
- Galley of Tapestries
- Gallery of Maps
- Raphael Rooms
- Borgia Apartments
- Sistine Chapel
- Creation of Man
- Last Judgement
Don't miss out on this unusual opportunity to explore the Vatican in the evening when other tourists have gone to dinner. Your local guide will lead you from the top of the steps at Caffe Vaticano into the Vatican Museums. Their passionate knowledge will bring the art and architecture to life as you explore the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and other areas. This tour is ideal for tourists who enjoy adventuring in the evening hours when attractions are less busy. This evening access has limited availability throughout the week, so don't wait to book! Your 2-hour tour includes:
After-hours access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
A quieter experience without the crowds
Free time to explore on your own
A fun, English-speaking guide
A maximum group of 13 people
Night Tour of Vatican Museums
Take an art history journey with your expert Vatican guide as you walk through the rooms of the most fascinating living museums on earth. See works of art in the Pinecone Courtyard and get a great view of St. Peter's Basilica in the evening light. View sculptures handed down from the ancient Romans in the Pio-Clementine Collection. Pass through the Gallery of Candelabra, Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of the Maps as your guide explains the history and stories surrounding these art collections.
The School of Athens by Raphael
Learn about the complexities of Raphael's fresco in the former papal apartments. Raphael was one of Rome's most famous Renaissance artists and he encompassed all the ideals of a Renaissance man. He designed and frescoed multiple rooms connected to the Vatican Museums. In addition to other masterpieces, visit one of Raphael’s most famous works of art, The School of Athens.
The Sistine Chapel at Night
Your guided evening Vatican tour concludes in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, where the ceiling and the altar wall are adorned by world-famous and inspiring frescoes. Only when you enter the Sistine Chapel is it clear how high the ceiling is and how many paintings are up there. At this point, it is impossible not to appreciate how difficult is must have been for Michelangelo to lay on his back and toil at his masterpiece, year after year.
The Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, therefore, speaking inside is not allowed. Since our guide cannot explain the frescoes while you are inside, we explain the Chapel in advance and provide you with a map/handout for reference before you enter. Men and women must cover their knees and shoulders before entering. We understand the summers in Rome get hot, a good alternative is to bring a scarf or shawl to use before you enter.
Take Your Time and Explore the Collections
If you want to stay inside the Vatican Museums after the conclusion of your evening tour, go right ahead! The museums remain open for another 90 minutes after the guided tour concludes. Take your time and revisit your favorite works of art or simply wander around to enjoy the incredible artistry.
What you get with this tour
See what people are saying
33 total reviews
Leave a reviewAll things considered, mostly good
Kathleen Baylies
If you're like us, you prefer to buy your tickets directly from the venue you are visiting. We waited too long and the only tickets we could find for the night tour were through a tour company. We tend not to be very excited about walking around with a group of 12-25 other people and moving at the tour guide's pace, rather than our own. But, The Tour Guy is a well-reviewed company and we really preferred to do the night time tour to avoid the crowds and the heat of the day, so we went with it, and are glad we did. Keep in mind, the size of the crowds and the degree of heat is all relative. If you're here in season, as we were, there's still going to be a crowd and it's still going to be hot, just not as bad as if you went during the day. Bottom line, if you're in Rome and you haven't been to the Vatican Museums, you need to go. And, if you have no idea what you're looking at, it is HUGELY valuable to go with a knowledgeable guide who can help you better appreciate the awesome things you will see. Our guide was Marco. He was good. He knew his stuff and had a sense of humor. If I may offer one suggestion, it would be to curb his habit of saying "guys" at the end of virtually every sentence.
Great time!
Jenna pettus
Thank you to our tour guide, Maria, who was fun and informative!
Fabiola was great.
Viviana Vazquez
Fabiola was great. She was very informative and thorough. She had great energy and we really enjoyed her tour. Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to meet?
Meet in front of Caffe Vaticano, directly across the street from the Vatican Museums Entrance on Viale Vaticano. A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it.
What to bring?
Comfortable shoes are always recommended for walking tours.
Is there a way to see the Vatican without a guided tour?
Yes, it's possible, though you may find the experience lacking and only daytime access is available. But you can click here for skip the line Vatican tickets.
What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?
If you have any doubts about your mobility, we suggest taking a private Vatican tour so we can better accommodate your needs.
Does the Vatican ever experience unexpected closures?
During state visits or special religious events, parts of the Vatican may be closed unexpectedly and without much notice. If an area normally visited during a tour is suddenly closed, our guide will still provide explanations of the closed areas from outside. They will even show you another gallery to compensate for the lost time in the usual location.
Does this tour include the Sistine Chapel?
Yes! The Sistine Chapel is attached to the Vatican Museums and your tickets include a visit to Michelangelo's masterpiece.
Does this tour include St. Peter's Basilica?
This tour does not include a visit to St. Peter's Basilica because it is closed at night.
Is there a dress code to enter the religious sites on this tour?
e ask both men and women to cover knees and shoulders, otherwise the Vatican might refuse entry to religious sites and you’ll miss out on a portion of your tour. We understand the summers in Rome can be hot, so a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.
What to bring?
Comfortable shoes are always recommended for walking tours.
Where to meet?
Meet in front of Caffe Vaticano, directly across the street from the Vatican Museums Entrance on Viale Vaticano. A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it.
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